Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Tighty Whities

Okay, I know this is a revelation to, well, no one, but I feel compelled to restate the obvious. I had the great thrill of standing in Times Square this week, right across the street from M & M world:

That random medal around my neck is my new CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) award. I was in New York for the National Speakers Association Convention where I received the CSP and my friends felt it would be the perfect attire for my picture in front of M & M World. Hey - at least I'm wearing more than underwear!

Look how giant and cool that screen is behind me! If you were a random street performer who worked the street below and they put an M & M up there dressed like you, would you sue them? I repeat, the Naked Cowboy is an idiot.

I still wish they'd put an M & M up there that looked like me - maybe with short dark hair and a giant grin wearing a cheesy medal? How cool would that be?

Now M & M World was packed, but we did pop in for another picture:

Yes, that is yours truly in front of the Blue M & M dressed like Travolta. Think John's losing a lot of sleep over this? If he even knows about it, I bet he would laugh. Lesson - don't take yourself too seriously. If having an M & M in your image bothers you, you need to consider more comfortable underwear.

They have tons of images of the green M & M dressed up as the Statue of Liberty with the slogan "life, liberty and the pursuit of chocolate!" Think the French will sue? Or maybe the descendants of Thomas Jefferson? I think they all realize that imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery.

Here are the takeaways:

Don't take yourself too seriously and if you do, wear more than underwear.

If people are imitating you, you obviously fascinate them. Enjoy it. Your 15 minutes will be over all too soon.

M & M's are fun. They are round, brightly colored, and made of chocolate. Could anything be more perfect? Embrace your inner M & M - at http://www.mms.com/us/becomeanmm

And make sure before you pass through this world, you stand in Times Square and celebrate with your friends! Carpediem! Carpe chocolate!

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

You said:"If people are imitating you, you obviously fascinate them. Enjoy it. Your 15 minutes will be over all too soon."

The Naked Cowboy is FAR from being an idiot - he is now going to be a millionair thanks to suing the M&M company. Are you really that naive to think that all he wants in life is 15 minutes of fame?Also - why do you assume it is the right of big corporations to steal am image created by somebody else?Just because he performs on the street does not mean he is stupid nor that he should be treated with disrespect - he has business savvy just like any other business man.

LOL!What a great post!Besides those awesome photos (and you go girl for winning that CSP award) ... I really appreciated the comment, "If people are imitating you, you obviously fascinate them."Wow, I never thought of it that way before. I was struggling this week with the "imitation issue" and feeling a little angry about my "imitators." But what I should realize is that it really is highly complimentary and a sign that you're doing something right! Plus, if people are imitating you, that means anything you're doing that is good will be reverberated in the world as good. I like this concept a lot. Thanks so much for shining that light for me.Oh, and by the way to "anonymous," next time don't be such a coward and leave your name if you feel so strongly about a blog posting. (Unless your name happens to be Osama, and then I guess we'd understand why you'd write in a nasty gram without identifying yourself ... then again, you couldn't be Osama, because he probably would cut off his right arm if he wrote the word, 'naked.' So put a name to your words.)